No ban on meat, egg sale in Bhopal during Navratri, officials deny news reports

No prohibition connected the merchantability of meat, food oregon eggs has been imposed successful Madhya Pradesh’s superior of Bhopal during the nine-day Navratri festival oregon connected Dasara, officials clarified connected Tuesday (September 23, 2025), dismissing media reports astir a purported prohibition connected these products from September 22 to October 2.

Speaking to The Hindu, Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh said, “No specified bid has been issued by the territory medication placing a broad prohibition similar this.”

On Monday (September 22), respective media outlets had reported connected the “prohibition”, citing a study by a quality agency, which quoted a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

However, the quality agency, which had shared a purported video connection by the SDM connected X regarding the ban, deleted the station connected Tuesday. The station drew wide disapproval from societal media users and Opposition enactment leaders. Many slammed the determination and termed it “majoritarian and divisive”.

In a station connected X, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha subordinate Mahua Moitra remarked: “How tin the full multi-faith metropolis of Bhopal beryllium forced to springiness up fish, nutrient and eggs simply due to the fact that immoderate radical determine to crook vegetarian for a finite play of clip to equilibrium retired their sins for the remainder of the year? Madhya Pradesh - this is the lunacy you get erstwhile you ballot BJP.”

In a caller station connected Tuesday, the quality bureau issued a correction, highlighting that the authoritative quoted is the SDM from Maihar territory successful northbound M.P.

“A Navratri mela (fair) is starting from September 22 successful the beatified municipality of Maa Sharda. In presumption of this, the merchantability of meat, fish, and eggs has been banned successful the metropolis from September 22 to October 2,” Divya Patel, SDM, Maihar, is quoted arsenic saying.

Maihar Collector Rani Batad told The Hindu that the prohibition is imposed during some Navratris each twelvemonth successful parts of the municipality adjacent the celebrated Sharda Mata temple. 

“Such orders are issued each twelvemonth during the Navratri mela astatine the temple. It’s a implicit prohibition connected the merchantability of earthy nutrient arsenic good arsenic astatine eateries,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Prem Shankar Shukla, the nationalist relations serviceman (PRO) of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, besides said that nary specified long-period restrictions person been imposed by the civic assemblage successful the city.

“Each twelvemonth a calendar is issued, aft consultation with assorted departments and the BMC Commissioner, with definite days and festivals erstwhile circumstantial instructions are issued but we person ne'er had immoderate 8-9 time play successful our calendar,” said Mr. Shukla said.